CITY residents who want to have their say on the location of a major new secondary school in Worcester only have a week left to give their views.

Worcestershire County Council is carrying out a public consultation into plans to build a new school to cope with the demand caused by the planned South Worcestershire Development Plan.

The consultation ends on June 11, so residents only have five more days to have their say.

It is not currently known where the new school will be as the council is using the responses to the consultation to decide on potential locations.

Cllr Marcus Hart, cabinet member with responsibility for education and skills said: “We’ve had a fantastic response so far from our residents on this consultation looking ahead to this exciting project.

“We really want to hear the views of parents, guardians, carers and children and young people about what is important to you as planning for the future build continues.

“The location of the site of any new school will consider several factors including reducing pressure from oversubscribed schools and helping parents to fulfil their preference in choice of secondary school for their children.”

In February this year, Cabinet approved the creation of a new 600 place secondary school, in Worcester, to meet the increased demand for school places in the city over recent years.

Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet backed the plans at a meeting on Thursday (February 4).

Six locations have been proposed for the new 600-pupil school by Worcestershire County Council with an estimated cost of around £35 million but the whereabouts of the new school are currently a secret.

According to the council, the need for a new school in Worcester responds to the growth of housing developments around the city and improves choice and access for families.

The school will be delivered by Worcestershire County Council and will then be run by an academy sponsor.

The process to appoint the academy sponsor will run in the Autumn term of 2021 and will follow the Department for Education (DfE) free school presumption process.

Responses can be submitted online at www.worcestershire.goc.uk/newsecondaryschool by June 11.

For a paper copy of the questionnaire, email spp@worcschildrenfirst.org.uk